Black and Violet 1923

Wassily Kandinsky made "Black and Violet" by layering shapes and colors to create a totally unique visual experience. I love the way Kandinsky builds up the painting, letting forms bump into each other, with lines darting around like stray thoughts. He’s not trying to copy anything, but to make something new that comes from inside. The surface has a kind of glow, like looking into a warm light, but the violet and black feel a bit serious, a bit somber. Check out the way he uses small lines to join the different sections of the work together. Kandinsky makes me think of Paul Klee, another artist who wasn't afraid to let his imagination run wild. In both, there's a sense of play, of finding new ways to see the world. Art isn't about answers, it's about asking questions.